Burning My Beliefs Into My Flesh

By Anonymous · March 27, 2001

Eighteen months ago I was an IT support contractor, I earned more money than I
needed and all seemed well in my life, i had one piercing, a PA, but that was
just for fun really, it didn't have any deep meaning for me.
Then, over a
very short period, I lost everything, job, home, wife, and in my despair I
drove away some very good friends as well. I was lucky enough to find some new
friends and to rediscover some old friends, with their help I remembered what
the magic in my life used to feel like before I became obsessed with toys. I
started out on my 39th birthday on a quest for a new path, a path that would
allow me to grow spiritually, to develop in ways I had forgotten. Robbie
taught me Reiki, for which I will always be grateful, Mark was a solid friend
throughout, other all had important parts to play but Ally showed me something
special.
Ally showed me a special devoted love I had never experienced
before and she showed me the runes, we worked with the runes over the summer
of 2000 and I felt the very real power they can invoke. It was a very
difficult year for me, people came and went as I upset some who were very
close to me, my material world fell apart that year but inside I felt changes
happening, a new me emerging, and I wanted to mark that emergence with
something special, something that would symbolise for me the new me and the
process of my finding myself. I worked with Ally and eventually I drew a
bind-rune, a combination of runes symbolising the strengths I wanted to
invoke, including compassion and wisdom. Ally drew from my initial sketch a
bind rune with proportions which felt right and around that time it became
obvious to me that the ritual I needed to mark my passage was a
branding.
I searched for branding experiences everywhere but couldn't
find anything that I felt reflected what I was seeking until I came across
Perforations in Brighton, their web site included some ritual work done with
suspensions, here, I realised, were people who would understand.
Warren
at Perforations is one of those people who improve a space by occupying it,
he is a pleasure to be with and from the moment I arrived I felt the right
balance of a joyful outing and a serious spiritual occasion. I had decided
that I would pass through this gateway into my future in the company of a few
carefull chosen friends, somehow it felt like it should be a male-only
experience and I took with me Mike, Mark, Tim and Chris.
Ally and I
prepared some oils, one for consecration, which we both wore when I set off
and one for courage whch we put on when I called to tell her the branding was
about to start.
I had expected something like a cattle brand and, despite
several preparatory discussions with Warren, it wasn't until I got there that
it really sunk in that I was going to have a large number of small burns. I
knew I could do anything once if I was determined enough but I was concerned
that I might not be able to face the repeated pain, in the event it was
exactly the experience I was looking for. there was real pain but it was the
pain of creation and cleansing, not a destructive pain, it didn't hurt me, it
burned away something and left behind a branded new me.
This was one of
the few times in my life that I have been to that special 'other place' where
we are changed forever, I almost feel as though I should have said goodbye
before i lay down on the couch for the work to begin.
The design is about
5" tall and about 3.5" wide and you can see the pictures on my page at
bmezine (name is Khaos). The lines were drawn on about 1mm wide and burnt
that thickness, now, a week later, they have spread to about 5mm (1/4"). A
pyrography pen would have given a more even line but I wanted the strike
branding experience and that will always give a less precise
design.
Anyhow, a week later I love it. I don't know how we're going to
treat the healing wound to determine the final colour, Warren has had a few
ideas, and Ally is going to have the same rune tattooed which is very
important to me. I would recommend anybody who's looking into ritual body mod
stuff in the UK to call Warren and I can tell anybody thinking about branding
that yes, it is very painful, but it's a creative rather than destructive
pain.
The whole experience has been an important part of my search for my
spirituality and one of the important life changes I have been through this
year.
Alan
khaos@lords.com

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submitted by: Anonymouson: 27 March 2001in
Scarification

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Artist: WarrenStudio: PerforationsLocation: Brighton%2C+UK

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